Patent · US Expired

Ultrasound single-element non-contacting inspection system

US7262861B1 · kind B1 · utility

25Cited by
10References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 24, 2004
Grant dateAug 28, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 4, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2291/0421
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A laser ultrasonic inspection apparatus and method which enables remote sensing of thickness, hardness, temperature and/or internal defect detection is disclosed. A laser generator impinges a workpiece with light for generating a thermo-elastic acoustic reaction in a workpiece. A probe laser impinges the workpiece with an annularly-shaped probe light for interaction with the acoustic signal in the workpiece resulting in a modulated return beam. A photodetector having a sensitive region for detecting an annularly-shaped fringe pattern generated by an interaction of a reference signal and with the modulated return beam at said sensitive region.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.